2006年VOA标准英语-Renewed Fighting Erupts in Sri Lanka Ahead of P

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
11 October 2006

New fighting has erupted in Sri Lanka between government forces and the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels before peace talks scheduled for the end of the month. The decision to hold talks had raised hopes of ending weeks of spiraling violence in the country.

-----

Sri Lankan soldier stands guard 11 October 2006 at main entrance to capital, Colombo

Sri Lankan officials say fighter jets bombed rebel positions in the northern Jaffna peninsula in response to efforts by the Tamil rebels to infiltrate¹ government-held areas.

The Tamil rebels accuse the military of staging a "full-scale offensive" by firing heavy artillery² and rockets on territory they control.

The fighting erupted less than a week after the two sides agreed to hold peace talks at the end of the month in Switzerland. The decision had raised hopes of ending some of the worst violence the country has seen since the two sides agreed to a truce³ in 2002.

Hundreds of people on both sides have been killed since July when violence began to escalate⁴.

The rebels, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and also known as the L.T.T.E, warned Tuesday that they would reconsider their decision to negotiate, if the military attacks continue.

But the government says it remains⁵ fully⁶ committed to the peace talks.

Palitha Kohona, head of the government Peace Secretariat in Colombo dismissed fears that the renewed fighting will derail the negotiations⁷.

"I think the peace talks are on track and should be on track for a very good reason - the country needs peace and does not need violence, and we hope that the L.T.T.E. recognizes that and decides to return to the negotiating table," he said.

Wednesday's fighting erupted just a day after Norway, which arranged the talks between the two sides, called on them to use "this opportunity to cease hostilities⁸."

Analysts⁹ say the continuing fighting could be an effort by the government to weaken the rebels as much as possible before the talks.

"The government is actually preferring at this time to deal with the L.T.T.E. through military means," saiid Jehan Perera, head of the National Peace Council, a peace advocacy group in Colombo. "Because the government has the advantage ... they are able to cause a lot of damage to the L.T.T.E. infrastructure¹⁰ and to L.T.T.E. personnel at relatively¹¹ little cost to the government and the L.T.T.E. seems to be offering the government reasons to continue their military approach."

The government has said it wants the new round of talks to focus on "substantive¹² issues" and finding a long-term solution to the conflict that has divided Sri Lanka since 1983, when rebels began fighting for an autonomous¹³ homeland for the Tamil minority community.

1 infiltrate   

vt./vi.渗入，透过；浸润

参考例句：

• The teacher tried to infiltrate her ideas into the children's minds.老师设法把她的思想渗透到孩子们的心中。
• It can infiltrate as much as 100 kilometers into enemy territory at night.可以在夜间深入敌领土100千米。

2 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

3 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

4 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

12 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

13 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。